Don’t Get Burned By A COVID-19 Employment Lawsuit or Fine

October 15, 2020

You may have noticed I’ve been very focused on this topic in the past few months. It’s because I’m really concerned for small and medium-sized business owners. Each day I’m seeing articles like “A ‘tidal wave’ of Covid-related workplace lawsuits could be on the way” and noticing the numbers going up on Littler’s COVID-19 Labor & Employment Litigation Tracker. According to Littler, an international employment law firm, since March 12…

Effective & Empowering Performance Management of Remote Workers

September 15, 2020

Thinking back to pre-COVID-19 times, how did you manage your employees’ performance? I’m sure it was much easier when you were in the same room as your staff, providing feedback or answering questions when you could make “real” eye contact and read their body language. But when your workforce is at home, things get trickier. Managing and evaluating performance isn’t so straightforward anymore. Here are a few reasons why it’s…

4 Tips on Choosing Employee Benefits for 2021

August 11, 2020

2020 has presented HR professionals (not to mention everyone!) with some unique challenges. Many organizations have had to make changes to employee benefits because of COVID-19. Despite the unknowns around the pandemic as many organizations forge ahead, it’s time to think about coverage decisions for the coming year. Generally, insurers provide health plan costs for the following year in October, which is approaching quickly. Employers continue to protect the health…

How to Create a Great Remote Workplace Culture

July 7, 2020

Many employees have grown accustomed to working 100% remotely because of COVID-19. And according to lots of news lately, that could be here to stay. These estimates predict that 25-30% of the workforce will be working from home regularly by the end of 2021. Why? Lots of leaders have realized that their employees can be engaged and productive while working from home. And it makes good financial sense to many…

Create a Return to Work Plan That Protects Everyone

June 2, 2020

Many people are still working remotely with no set date to return to the office or production site. But companies everywhere are working hard to plan for the return of employees to the workplace. To do so, businesses create risk models to envision certain scenarios, get input from HR teams and management, and rely on employee feedback, in order to create a return to work plan. As we see some…

Managing Your Remote Employees—Now & After COVID-19

May 12, 2020

Adjusting to a remote workplace is challenging for leaders and employees alike. While close to 25% of the American labor force works from home at least part of the time, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’ve never been so separated from each other before. From productivity concerns to family demands, there is no shortage of things to worry about during this time. Even if you love working…

Updating Your Workplace Policies & Procedures During COVID-19

April 16, 2020

From hospitality to education, the coronavirus has impacted every industry. Also known as COVID-19, the pandemic has led to more than 100,000 deaths worldwide, and we’re self-isolating for an indefinite period of time to prevent the spread of infection as much as possible. I don’t doubt that COVID-19 has affected your business, and it will continue to do so for at least the near future. It can feel scary not…

Empathetic Listening: Honoring, Understanding, and Listening to Employees

April 2, 2020

Hi! My name is Katherine Hartvickson of Quantum Ascendance, an HR Consulting & Leadership Development company. We help you develop your People and create sustainable Processes so that you enjoy a Profitable and Winning Culture. This is the third tip in my video series on business communication. (You’ll find the other two videos in the resources section below.) When employees don’t feel heard, it can lead to poor productivity, lack…

Active Listening: Essential Guidelines to Improve Your Conversation Skills and Learn Effective Communication Techniques

March 31, 2020

Hi! My name is Katherine Hartvickson of Quantum Ascendance, an HR Consulting & Leadership Development company. We help you develop your People and create sustainable Processes so that you enjoy a Profitable and Winning Culture. This is the second tip in my video series on business communication. If you missed the first tip, watch it here. Effective listening is essential to clear communication and management success. Choosing the right words,…

Embracing Workplace Appreciation: Empowering Organizations by Recognizing Employees

March 28, 2020

Is your business suffering from communication breakdowns? My name is Katherine Hartvickson of Quantum Ascendance, an HR Consulting & Leadership Development company. We help you develop your People and create sustainable Processes so that you enjoy a Profitable and Winning Culture. Today’s business world is filled with an overwhelming amount of social media, texts and emails, yet I’ve found there is still a lack of clear and compelling communicating happening.…